New Khmer Rouge threaten to defrock Buddhist monks?

Pagoda exodus: Guns used to order us out: monk

Mom Kunthear and Tep Nimol
Thursday, 09 February 2012
The Phnom Penh Post

A majority of the Buddhist monks living at a pagoda in Kandal’s Muk Kampoul district were pressured into abandoning their monkhood yesterday out of fear they would be arrested and defrocked by local authorities.

Thirteen of the 22 monks who live at Keo Monyvoan pagoda walked away from monasticism after authorities allegedly threatened to arrest the monks if they did not leave the pagoda, in similar fashion to the former chief of the pagoda, who was arrested and has not been seen since November.

Lann Vanthorn, a monk at the pagoda, said yesterday that authorities threatened the monks with guns.

ទមិឡគំរាម លោកឲ្យសឹក?

ព្រះសង្ឃ​វត្ត​កែវមុនីវ័ន​រង​ការ​គំរាម​ឲ្យ​សឹក

Thursday, 09 February 2012
ទេព និមល - មុំ គន្ធា
The Phnom Penh Post

កណ្តាលៈ ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​១៣​អង្គ ក្នុង​២២​អង្គ​គង់​នៅ​វត្ត​កែវមុនីវ័ន ស្ថិត​នៅ​ភូមិ​ព្រែក​ឫស្សី ឃុំ​សំបួរ​មាស​ ស្រុក​មុខកំពូល បាន​សឹក​ជា​បន្ត​បន្ទាប់​ ដោយ​ការ​ភ័យ​ខ្លាច​អាជ្ញាធរ​ចាប់​ផ្សឹក​និង​ដាក់​ខ្នោះ ដូច​ដែល​ការ​ចាប់​ដាក់​ខ្នោះ​ចៅ​អធិការ​វត្ត​ស្តី​ទី​ព្រះ​នាម​ ជា សុវណ្ណភូមិ ​ពី​ខែ​វិច្ឆិកា​ឆ្នាំ​មុន​។

ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​១៣​អង្គ​ ដែល​ភាគ​ច្រើន​មាន​ព្រះ​ជន្ម​ក្រោម​២០​វស្សា ​រង​ការ​បំភិត​បំភ័យ​ច្រើន​លើក​ច្រើន​សា​ ដោយ​សារ​តែ​អាជ្ញាធរ​ឃុំ​និង​ស្រុក​ បាន​គំរាម​ម្តង​ហើយ​ម្តង​ទៀត​ ដោយ​បោះ​សម្តី​ថា បើ​លោក​មិន​សឹក​ទេ​នោះ គេ​នឹង​មក​ចាប់​ផ្សឹក​និង​ដាក់​ខ្នោះ ដូច​ ដែល​ធ្លាប់​បាន​ធ្វើ​ទៅ​លើ​ចៅ​អធិការ​វត្ត​កន្លង​មក​។ នេះ​បើ​តាម​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​គង់​វត្ត​នេះ​អះអាង​ពី​ម្សិល​មិញ​។

កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​២ ​ខែ​វិច្ឆិកា ​ឆ្នាំ​មុន​ចៅ​អធិការ​ស្តីទី​វត្ត​កែវមុនីវ័ន ​ព្រះ​នាម​ ជា ​សុវណ្ណភូមិ ​ជា​ខ្មែរ​កម្ពុជា​ក្រោម​ត្រូវ​កម្លាំង​ចម្រុះ​ស្រុក​ចាប់​អូស​ព្រះ​អង្គ ជា ​សុវណ្ណភូមិ ​ពី​ក្នុង​បន្ទប់​ទាំង​មាន​ស្បង់​ចីវរ​និង​បាន​ដាក់​ខ្នោះ​ដៃដូ​ច​អ្នក​ ទោស​ ដោយ​គ្មាន​ដីកា​ពី​តុលាការ ឬ​សង្ឃ​ដីកា​បញ្ជាក់​នូវ​​ទោស​កំហុស​ឡើយ​។ ពុទ្ធបរិស័ទ​ចំណុះ​ជើង​វត្ត​ដែល​គាំទ្រ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ជិត​២០០​នាក់ ​ដែល​ចេញ​មុខ​ប្រឆាំង​នឹង​ការ​ចាប់​ខ្លួន​ចៅ​អធិការ​វត្ត​ស្តី​ទី ​ដោយ​សារ​ថា «​ព្រះ​អង្គ​មិន​បាន​ធ្វើ​អ្វី​ខុស​មាន​តែ​ជួយ​កសាង​វត្ត​» ក៏​ត្រូវ​កម្លាំង​ចម្រុះ​ប្រើ​កំាភ្លើង​អាកា​បាញ់​គំរាម​ជាង​១០ គ្រាប់​ផង​ដែរ ។

ភាពមិនស៊ីសង្វាក់នៃជំនឿលើព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនានិងបញ្ហា​ក្នុង​សង្គម​កម្ពុជា​

Beating of Khmer Krom monks by cops working for the atheist Hun Xen regime (Photo: AP)

The presence of a Buddhist monk in Boeung Kak Lake did not prevent these atheist cops from beating residents and destroying houses for the benefit of CPP Senator and Land-thief Lao Meng Khin (Photo: CCHR)

Cambodia's communist monks (aka Hochimonks): Tep Vong and Non Nget

ពុធ 28 កញ្ញា 2011
ដោយ ប៉ែន បូណា
RFI

ព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនា​បាន​បង្រៀន​ថា​ មនុស្ស​កើត​មក​មានតែ​ខ្លួន​ទទេ​ស្អាត​ ស្លាប់​ទៅវិញ​ក៏​មិន​អាច​យក​អ្វី​តាម​ខ្លួន​បាន​ដែរ​ក្រៅ​តែ​ពី​សម្ពាយ​ បុណ្យ​និង​បាប។ ​ដូច្នេះ ​សម្រាប់​អ្នក​ដែល​មាន​ជំនឿ​លើ​ព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនា​ពិត​ប្រាកដ​ គ្មាន​ការ​ចាំបាច់​អី​ដែល​មនុស្ស​ត្រូវ​ប្រកាប់​ប្រចាក់​គ្នា​ដើម្បី​បំពេញ​ ភាព​លោភ​លន់​ហួស​ហេតុ​របស់​ខ្លួន​ឡើយ៕

ព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនា​ដែល​ជា​សាសនា​របស់​រដ្ឋ ​ បាន​​ទទួល​​ការ​គោរព​​ប្រតិបត្តិ​​ពី​សំណាក់​​គ្រួសារ​​ខ្មែរ​​ទូទៅ​​ដែល​​ ជា​​ពុទ្ធសាសនិកជន​​ដោយ​​គ្មាន​​អ្នក​​ណា​​រំលង​​ឡើយ។ ​ជាក់ស្តែង​​នៅ​​ក្នុង​​ពិធី​​បុណ្យ​ភ្ជុំ​បិណ្ឌ​​ម្តងៗ​ ​គេ​​ជឿជាក់​​ថា​ ​គ្មាន​​គ្រួសារ​​ខ្មែរ​​ណា​​ដែល​​មិន​​បាន​​ទៅ​​វត្ត​​ឡើយ​​ទោះ​​ជា​​អ្នក​ ​នោះ​​ជា​​​អ្នក​​មាន​​ឬ​​អ្នក​ក្រ​ក្តី។ ​​ប៉ុន្តែ​​ ប្រសិន​​បើ​​គេ​​ឆ្លុះ​​បញ្ចាំង​​ពី​​បញ្ហា​​នៅ​​ក្នុង​​សង្គម​​កម្ពុជា​​ បច្ចុប្បន្ន​​ធៀប​​ទៅ​​នឹង​​​តម្លៃ​​នៃ​​​ព្រះ​ពុទ្ធសាសនា​ ​គេ​​នឹង​​ឃើញ​​ថា​​ មនុស្ស​​ជាច្រើន​​ ហាក់​​ដូច​ជា​​គោរព​​ព្រះពុទ្ធ​សាសនា​​តែ​​សម្បក​​ក្រៅ ​​តែ​​មិន​​បាន​​ផុស​​ចេញ​​ពី​​ទឹកចិត្ត​​ និង​​ជំនឿ​​ពិត​​ប្រាកដ​​ឡើយ។​ តើ​​ហេតុ​អ្វី​​បាន​​ជា​​ដូច្នេះ?​

រយៈ​ពេល​១៥​ថ្ងៃ​នៃ​ពិធី​បុណ្យ​កាន់បិណ្ឌ ​និង​ភ្ជុំបិណ្ឌ ​បាន​បិទ​បញ្ចប់​ហើយ​កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​អង្គារ​ម្សិល​មិញ។ ​ទី​វត្តអារាម​នីមួយៗ​មាន​សភាព​មមាញឹក​យ៉ាង​ខ្លាំង​ក្នុង​ការ​ទទួល​ពុទ្ធបរិស័ទ។ ​មនុស្ស​ម្នា​នៅ​គ្រប់​ទិស​ទី​សម្រុក​នាំគ្នា​ទៅ​វត្ត​ដើម្បី​ឆ្លង​បុណ្យ​ភ្ជុំបិណ្ឌ។ ​ព្រឹត្តិការណ៍​នេះ​បាន​បង្ហាញ​ថា​ ពលរដ្ឋ​ខ្មែរ​មាន​ជំនឿ​មុតមាំ​ណាស់​លើ​ព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនា ​លើ​អំពើ​បុណ្យ​បាប ​និង​លើ​ទស្សនៈ​«កម្ម ផល»​ដែល​ជា​ស្នូល​នៃ​ព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនា។

ប្រសិន​បើ​គេ​ពិនិត្យ​មើល​អំពី​ភាព​មមាញឹក​នៃ​ទីវត្តអារាម​ក្នុង​ពិធី​បុណ្យ​ឆ្លង​ភ្ជុំបិណ្ឌ ​គេ​ប្រហែល​ជា​ពិបាក​នឹង​ជឿ​ណាស់​ថា​សង្គម​កម្ពុជា​មាន​បញ្ហា​ចាក់ស្រេះ​រាប់​រយ​ជំពូក​យ៉ាង​ដូច្នេះ​ឡើយ​ពី​ព្រោះ​ថា​ ព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនា​ដែល​បង្កប់​ដោយ​ទស្សនៈវិជ្ជា​ដ៏​មាន​តម្លៃ​ត្រូវ​បាន​មនុស្ស​ទាំងពួង​ជឿជាក់ ​និង​គោរព​ប្រតិបត្តិ​គ្រប់ៗ​គ្នា។ ​ទស្សនៈវិជ្ជា​ដំបូង​ដែល​មនុស្ស​ទូទៅ​បាន​ស្គាល់​បំផុត​នោះ​គឺ​ « អំពើល្អ ​ទទួល​ផល​ល្អ,​ អំពើ​អាក្រក់ ​ទទួល​ផល​អាក្រ់»​ បើ​ទោះ​ជា​មិន​មែន​ជាតិ​នេះ​ក៏​ជាតិ​ខាង​មុខ​ដែរ។ ​ប៉ុន្តែ ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​បែរ​ជា​ជួប​នឹង​សង្គ្រាម​វិនាសកម្ម​ និង​វិបត្តិ​តូច​ធំ​មិន​ចេះ​ចប់​មិន​ចេះ​ហើយ​ទាល់​តែ​សោះ។

Disconnect between Buddhism belief and social problems in Cambodia

A Hochimonk (right) tried to arrest Ven. Loun Sovath (left) who was helping evicted villagers (Photo: Hang Savyout, RFA)

28 Sept 2011
By Pen Bonna
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Soy

Buddhism teaches that we all come to this world naked, when we die, we will not take anything with us with the exception of the sins and good deeds that we perform. Therefore, true Buddhist believers should not fight each others to fulfill our greed.

Buddhism is the state religion and it is worshiped by Buddhist Khmer families in general. For example, during each year’s Pchum Ben celebration, no Cambodian families would miss visiting a pagoda, whether they are rich or poor. However, when you compare the current social problems in Cambodia and the [intrinsic] value of Buddhism, one can see that the majority of Cambodians only worship Buddhism superficially only, they do not worship Buddhism out of their heart or out of their true belief at all. Why is that so?

The 15 days of the Kan Ben and Pchum Ben celebrations ended on Tuesday. Each pagoda in the kingdom was busy receiving Buddhist devotees. People from all creeds tried to visit a pagoda to celebrate Pchum Ben. This action seems to show that Cambodians are true believers of Buddhism, of sins, of “retributions” which are part of the Buddhist core.

Based on the busy traffic in pagodas during the Pchum Ben season, it is hard to believe that the Cambodian society is riddled with so many social problems because Buddhism provides a just philosophy that everybody can believe and worship. The foremost philosophy that Buddhism teaches to people is: “Do the right deeds and you will reap good deeds, do the wrong deeds and you will reap bad deeds” during this lifetime or during the next lifetime. However, Cambodia had continuously met with unending war and genocide, as well as major and minor problems.

Crackdown at pagoda [... by the Hochimonks against Ven. Loun Savath]

Loun Sovath blesses Prey Lang villagers last month. (Photo by: Heng Chivoan)

Hochimonk Non Nget

Thursday, 01 September 2011
May Titthara and Vincent MacIsaac
The Phnom Penh Post

“The monks and students have done no wrong,” he said, adding that he would remove his belongings from his room at the residence.

Ten university students and five monks at Phnom Penh’s Ounalom pagoda, the former residence of campaigning monk Venerable Loun Sovath, had been threatened with eviction if they had any contact with him, monks said yesterday.

The ultimatum was reportedly delivered by Supreme Patriarch Non Nget to senior monks on Sunday, during the monthly prayer session that coincides with the full moon, the group of monks said on condition they were not identified individually.

Earlier that day, Loun Sovath had visited the pagoda to greet other monks and students who had shared his accommodation, they said.

Those living in part of the complex in which he lived include monks from Siem Reap, Svay Rieng, Takeo, Battambang and Kampuchea Krom, including some of the Kingdom’s most educated monks.

Monks at the pagoda said the Supreme Patriarch was under political pressure to rein in Loun Sovath, but that both he and they support Loun Sovath’s efforts to pursue peaceful advocacy on behalf of communities facing the loss of land to well-connected companies and individuals.

“We feel great pity for the people who are losing their land,” one senior monk at the pagoda explained.

Any attempt to defrock Loun Sovath would fan growing anger among monks at alleged political interference in Buddhism, the senior monk said.

Pressure mounts on monk

Venerable Loun Sovath (right) welcomes parliamentarian Seang Nam at a pagoda in Siem Reap province’s Chi Kraeng district to celebrate the release of 12 men from prison, some of whom were detained for more than two years, in connection with a land dispute. (Photo by: John Anthony)

Tuesday, 23 August 2011
John Anthony
The Phnom Penh Post

A community that gathered yesterday to celebrate the release of farmers who had been jailed for more than two years following a land dispute were told that the monk who led their campaign to free the men had been banned from every pagoda in Siem Reap province.

The written notice from the province’s senior most monk, Venerable Pich San, was distributed ahead of the two-day event, which started on Saturday.

Pich San also banned Venerable Loun Sovath from leading the celebration and said that the monk, who has become famous for blessing communities involved in land disputes, had disobeyed Buddhist values.

Loun Sovath was undeterred by the ban.

“What I’m doing is right,” he said. “My activities are Buddhist and they do not break the law.”

Under comrade Tep Vong, Buddhist monks need to hire bodyguards to protect themselves and their possessions

A monk feeds pigeons on Phnom Penh’s riverside as multiple bodyguards, in blue shirts, look on. (Heng Chivoan)

Come heavy, or don't come at all

Monday, 22 September 2008
Written by May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

For some Cambodian monks, the path to enlightenment is cleared by armed bodyguards who have become an increasingly common accessory for the clergy making their rounds

WHILE in the past the primary concern of monks was to find a quiet place for contemplation, today's new generation of young clergy seem less able to leave base material concerns behind and are instead hiring bodyguards to protect themselves and their possessions.

Tep Sao, a monk at Wat Botum, said that monks are now choosing to hire bodyguards because Cambodia is a socially and politically unstable country and monks need some heavies around if they are to go out into the community and engage in social work.

"As monks we can't act disorderly like ordinary people. When we don't have bodyguards, people sometimes don't respect us as monks and they sometimes try to attack us. When we have bodyguards we feel safe and we don't have to worry," Tep Sao said, adding that some high-ranking monks, such as the chief monk at his pagoda, were assigned bodyguards by the government.

But, Tep Sao was quick to point out that bodyguards who work for monks do not have an adverse effect on Buddhism because they are different from the bodyguards who work for high-ranking officials. "We do not allow our bodyguards to shoot guns even though they have them," he said.

Michel Tranet, former undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, said that he cannot condone monks having bodyguards because the monks' good deeds should mean that they do not have any enemies.

Against Buddhism?

"If they are monks and think only of dharma, how could they ever have any enemies?" Tranet asked. "Monks should avoid violence and never think of anybody as an enemy even if someone tries to do something bad to them. If monks have bodyguards, this breaks Buddhist rules.

"If a monk has a bodyguard it means that he is afraid and hasn't calmed down his emotions yet," he added.

Ki Sophorn, who works as a bodyguard for the chief monk at Wat Champoh Kaek, said that he has been ordered to protect the monastery's elder by the chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. "It is the order of the government that all chief monks must have a bodyguard," he said.

Most bodyguards who work to protect monks are provided by RCAF, the military police or ordinary police forces, and draw their salary from the government - not from the monks, said Ki Sophorn, adding that sometimes the chief monk helps him out by supplementing his wage.

"Working as a bodyguard for a monk is very easy," he said.

Meas Pov, a businessman at the Deumkor market, said that monks only use bodyguards because they are growing wealthier - frequently carrying phones and cash - and need to protect themselves from thieves.

"Monks should not have bodyguards because it makes it very difficult for people to meet them," he said.

"People have to ask the bodyguard for permission before they can approach the monk."

Both Chhorn Iem and Zakaryya Adam, secretaries of state at the Ministry of Culture and Religion, told the Post that they were unable to comment as they did not have any information about monks using bodyguards for protection.

Clash between monks and cops

17-12-2007
By Ung Chamroeun
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr

"Even if the monks committed mistakes, the police forces should not use violence against them because we are all Buddhists" - Chan Saveth, Adhoc investigator

Buddhist monks who came to deliver a petition to the Vietnamese ambassador to ask for the release of several Khmer Krom monks jailed in Vietnam, were violently broken up by the police force on Monday 17 December. Human rights NGOs immediately denounced the violence perpetrated against the monks. The cops assured that they were simply responding to provocations.

Clashes took place in the morning of Monday 17 December between 40 monks and about 100 cops in front of the Vietnamese embassy in Phnom Penh. The Buddhist monks, native from Kampuchea Krom (South Vietnam), came from various pagodas in the capital to deliver their petition demanding that the Hanoi regime releases one of their compatriots, Venerable Tim Sakhorn, who was arrested in the province of Takeo – some claim that he was in fact “kidnapped” – disrobed, and transferred to be jailed in Vietnam since last June. An activist who defended the rights of his community, Venerable Tim Sakhorn was accused of political crimes and of undermining the good relationship between the two nations, he was subsequently sentenced in November to one year of jail. Five other Khmer Krom monks were also jailed since 22 February by the Vietnamese authorities under similar charges.

Since 08:00 AM, armed cops, bearing shields and batons, prevented the monks to approach the embassy. At 09:30 AM, the monks were dispersed. According to Venerable Chan Dara, about 20 monks were kicked and hit with batons. Three of the monks were sent to the hospital. “It was not a demonstration. We only wanted to deliver the letter directly to the ambassador,” Venerable Chan Dara said.

Touch Naroth, the Phnom Penh police commissioner, said that the monks overstepped the law. “The cops were attacked first, they had to defend themselves. The demonstrators knocked one of them down,” Touch Naroth explained, adding that the monks used (plastic water) bottles. A cop said that he didn’t want to threaten the monks because as a Buddhist, he must respect them, but he said it was due to the “violence from the monks.”

Venerable Thach Kun Yoeun disagrees with this version of the event. “We are religious men, we never created any problem, but the cops didn’t respect us and they used their weapons.” Venerable Thach Kun Yoeun added that the petition will be delivered to the ambassador in another future attempt.

Am Sam Ath, an investigator for the Licadho human rights defense NGO, sharply denounced the attitude adopted by the cops. To Am Sam Ath, it is very deplorable that the government, which earlier denounced the Burmese repression against Buddhist monks last October, is acting similarly to the Burmese military Junta. The Adhoc NGO also issued a communiqué to condemn the clash. “I regret that the monks and the cops fought each others. Even if the monks committed mistakes, the police forces should not use violence against them because we are all Buddhists,” wrote Chan Saveth, an investigator for Adhoc. He also accused the Cambodian authorities and the Vietnamese embassy for being responsible of this conflict, and that they didn’t try to find a solution to this issue.

The NRP also reacted by issuing a communiqué condemning this violence against the monks, stating that it is “not too far off from the Khmer Rouge era and from the action taken by the Burmese military Junta.”